Any tips for taking off a binder?

[Arch]

Yeah, that's right. Sounds like a stupid question, but I'm serious. I've been losing weight, and my current binder, a pullover Lycra job from Underworks, no longer does the trick. So I was thinking of going down a size. But I can barely get OUT of my current binder--I have to struggle quite a bit, and I'm always a bit worried that I will have to break out the scissors and cut my way out. Obviously, a smaller binder would only make matters worse.

Is there some particular technique to getting these things off? I'm seriously considering a zippered thingamajig from T-Kingdom, but I have a lot of reasons for not going that route. (Their sizing and the time lag are a concern, not to mention that I don't think it would be an easy task to zip up my big chest.)

Oh, and by the way, my hands are kinda messed up from injuries. So I have to be careful about how much I stress them--I can't just pull the binder off by brute force. I guess I should have said that in the beginning.

[Jamie-o]

No brute force, huhn?  That could be difficult.  Have you tried wearing a rash guard under your binder so it slips over your skin more easily?  (Yeah, I know. Just what you'll need this summer - another layer.)  I know that helped me in getting the tri-top on initially. 

[noxdraconis]

I poweder my body with GoldBond and wear an a-shirt under my Underworks which allows it to slip off easier.  As to how I take it off, I just slip my thumbs under the shoulder straps and pull up gently.

[Arch]

Jamie, you're right about the rash guard--too hot. I overheat easily, and my skin breaks out if my sweat stays on my skin. So if I had to wear yet another layer (like a rash guard), I would simply choose not to bind. Not to mention that the synthetic fabric would drive me nuts even if I wore a t-shirt under the rash guard. I'm allergic to every fabric known to man--except pure cotton.

Noxdraconis, I do wear a wifebeater under my binder, but that has never made it easy to take off the binder, I think because I wear the slick Lycra side on the outside rather than the inside. Again, I do this to save my sensitive skin. But I hadn't tried the Gold Bond trick. If the powder is hypoallergenic, I might be able to try that. If you can remove the binder by pulling up on the shoulder straps, then you must be doing something right.

[Mister]

Arch, try the velcro models from T-Kingdom.  You put them on like any old shirt (except they open under your left armpit) and you pull this velcro backed piece of fabric around to strap 'em down.

With the underworks, tough, try pulling it off over your hips instead of over your head.

[IanToxic]

I dunno if it'll help but I have a double front compression shirt and a tri top (which I probably don't really need but eh) and what I do since my double front is older and not as tight i put that on first and then put my tri top over that and it makes a huge difference in the ease of taking the tri top off. I also kinda roll it downwards to take it off instead of going over my head. I dunno if you have another binder but im sure something that had close to the same(or the same) material or texture would probably work just as well. Also when I put it my tri top on i kinda stretch it with my thighs which helps a bit so eh there's always that to break it in a bit more.

[Arch]

Thanks for the help, guys. I followed your tips and had a much easier time taking off my current binder, so I went ahead and ordered the smaller one. I should be able to get out of it without incapacitating myself.

I hope it seriously mashes me, though. Now that my voice is shifting, I am becoming more self-conscious about my chest. I hate that. I wish I could just not care...